The Winstons
by N.S.Bennett
Summary: Dallas and April Winston. Otherwise known as the Winston Twins - despite the fact they're not actually twins.
1. The Twins

There were certain things about the Winston twins that not many other people knew.

The first thing was that they weren't twins. Dallas was eleven months older than April. They didn't have the same father either, hence April's light brown, almost dark blonde, hair and green eyes as opposed to Dally's white blonde hair and blue eyes.

Dallas was determined April wouldn't turn out like him. This meant keeping her away from the gang fights in New York, taking the beatings off their father for her, protecting her from the Socs, and forcing her to go to school. He even forged the signatures on her reports, so no-one knew that their parents didn't give a shit. He would never let anyone know how proud he was of his little sister and how smart she was.

When April took a chance and walked home alone and got jumped by Socs, Dallas spent the night tending to her wounds and holding her as she cried herself to sleep. Once she was asleep, he cried, because she was innocent and had done nothing wrong, but they chose to pick on her anyway. After that, he told the gang that at least one of them needed to be with her when he wasn't there to protect her. Then he went out and got revenge.

Everyone knew the pair had rooms next door to each other at Buck's, but no-one knew that April slept in Dally's room most nights. Dallas would sometimes have nightmares about what he had seen in New York or during his first time in juvie, and April was the only one who could calm him down. She would wipe the tears from his face and hold him until he fell asleep again. She never told anyone that Dallas Winston could cry.

April hated Sylvia. Not because she was taking her brother away from her, but because she could see right through her and knew Sylvia was constantly two-timing Dallas. She never said anything because she thought Dallas wouldn't believe her and she didn't want to hurt him.

When Johnny Cade showed an interest in April, and April made it clear she felt the same way in return, everyone expected Dallas to threaten Johnny with everything under the sun. Instead, he took them aside and made them promise him they wouldn't hurt each other because she was his little sister and he was his best friend, and he couldn't choose between them.

After April left for her first date with Johnny, Dallas locked himself in his room at Buck's and cried because his little sister was growing up and he couldn't do anything to stop it. When she got back, he sat up and listened to her talk about how Johnny had taken her to the Dingo and the Nightly Double, and then he had walked her all the way home, and Dallas noticed how excited and happy she was and felt like crying all over again.

April was the only person Dally would write to from jail or call when he had the chance. She never said anything about how touched she was he would think of her first or about the shoebox full of letters that she kept under her bed.

The night that Mr and Mrs Curtis died, Dallas and April spent the whole night crying in each other's arms because they lost the only people they had considered parents, and now everything good was slipping away from them.

Dallas often wished April had been put up for adoption because she deserved so much better.

April loved that it was always her and her brother against the world.


	2. Young Hearts Run Free

"Did you get that Physics homework done?" Dallas asked April as they walked from Buck's to the Curtis house. His sister nodded.

"Yeah. I didn't like the math part though, it was too tricky, but Ponyboy showed me how to make it simpler the other day." She shrugged. "Smart kid."

"You're smart too. Math just takes you a little longer." He said, lighting a cigarette, throwing the match away behind him. The rest of their walk went ahead in silence, and they were surprised to find most of the gang waiting outside the house. "What's going on?" Dallas asked, looking at them all. "Hey where's Johnny?"

"We found Johnny in the lot last night." Darry said, and April's eyes snapped to him. "His old man got to him."

Dallas and April quickly exchanged a look. "Well, is he OK?" Dallas asked.

Darry took a deep breath. "It's bad. We'd take him to the hospital but it's gonna cost a lot."

"Where is he?" April asked lowly. "Darry, where is he?"

"He's inside."

"Where?"

Darry shifted slightly, uncomfortable under her gaze. "My room. I slept on the couch last night." April didn't need to know anything else. She was up the porch steps and in the house in a flash, the door slamming behind her. The sound of footsteps alerted her to the gang following her and she briefly heard Darry saying, "He needs rest April", but she was too focused. She shoved open the door to Darry's room and froze.

Johnny was tucked up in the bed and from the way he was curled up, she knew his stomach was bruised and hurting him. His arms were covered with bruises and she could see a black eye forming. His lip was split and there was a cut on his forehead. She crept over and gently sat down on the edge of the bed and ran a hand through his hair. Johnny's eyes fluttered and slowly opened, and he looked at her.

"Hey doll." He mumbled.

"Hey." April said softly, "Your Dad got to you again?"

"Yeah. Used his belt, that's what happened to my head." He said, pointing. She grabbed his hand on its way back down and kissed the back of it.

"I'm so sorry Johnny." She said, a few tears slipping out. "God, I'm so sorry."

Johnny held up his other arm. "Come here." April sniffed and crawled into a lying position next to him, and they wrapped their arms around each other. "You've got nothing to be sorry for. It wasn't your fault. It's not your fault my Dad hates me," His voice broke and the tears began flowing. April looked up at him and smoothed a hand down his face.

"Hey, hey, shh." She whispered, wiping his tears away, "You don't have to go back there ever again."

Johnny looked at her with wide eyes. "Ever?"

"Never ever. You come here or you come to Buck's. I don't mind sleeping on the floor."

"I'm not kicking you out of your bed."

"You are if it means you're not getting hurt no more." She said, firmly, gently gripping his face. "I love you Johnny and seeing you like this is breaking my heart. Please baby, please. Promise me you'll never go back there."

"I promise. I love you too." He whispered, kissing her nose, making her smile. She wrapped her arms around him and held him, running her fingers through his hair. They were vaguely aware of the door clicking shut, but mostly they were in their own little world.

"If none of you believed my sister that she loved Johnny, you'd damn better now." Dally threatened, before walking away and out of the house.

* * *

April walked into the courthouse and found that the only empty seat on Dallas' side was next to Sylvia. _Of all people_, she inwardly groaned, but walked over and sat down next to her. Sylvia turned her head slightly to see who had sat next to her.

"Oh, it's you." Sylvia said, looking down her nose at April, who smiled politely.

"Wonderful as always to see you Sylvia."

"Can't believe he's here again."

"You could always just leave my brother alone and then you wouldn't have to waste your precious time being here." April bit back, but Sylvia didn't have time to answer as Dallas was brought in. He saw his sister and girlfriend sitting unhappily together and shook his head fondly.

"All rise." A guard said, and everyone stood for the judge. "Be seated."

April chewed on the inside of her lip as the trial continued. There was a brief break while the jury deliberated, and she headed out to the payphone in the hallway. She inserted the coins needed and dialled the Curtis house.

"Hello?" Ponyboy answered.

"Hey Pony, it's April."

"How's the trial going?" He asked.

April sighed. "It's not looking good Pone. And my favourite person in the world is here which makes it even better."

"Sylvia's there?" Ponyboy asked loudly.

"Sylvia's there?" April heard echoed by three of the gang in the background and she gave a soft chuckle.

"Yes. She's here. I'm loving every second. Listen, I'll come over after and let you guys know in person, OK?"

"OK April. Thanks for calling." Ponyboy said and April gave a half-smile.

"No problem. I'll see you later."

"OK. Bye."

"Bye." April hung up the phone and checked for her change before heading back to the courtroom. She took her seat, and after a while Sylvia came and threw herself down with a huff into the seat next to her. "You got a problem?"

"Nothing for you to worry about." She answered snappily and April rolled her eyes. This trial couldn't end quickly enough, although April wasn't surprised at how quickly the jury came to a verdict.

"I'll see you Dal." April said while Sylvia cried prettily next to her, and Dallas nodded as he was taken away. The two girls walked out of the courthouse together, a show of solidarity to anyone who didn't know how much they hated each other.

"I'll see you around April." Sylvia said once they were outside and April nodded, allowing herself to be reluctantly pulled into a hug, although she did flip her middle finger at Sylvia's back before turning and walking towards the Curtis house.

Her feet were killing by the time she reached the gate and she had taken her heels off by the time she'd stepped through the door. The rest of the gang looked up at her as she walked in, and she quickly noticed Johnny's slight blush.

"Three months for disturbance of the peace and resisting arrest." She announced grandly, dropping her shoes on the floor and flopping down next to Johnny. He pulled on her legs and she lifted them up onto his lap.

"You look pretty April; I like your hair." Soda said off-handedly and she smiled.

"Thanks. Sandy showed me how to do it. Too fiddly to do every day though, and I couldn't bear wearing those death traps every day either."

"I think you always looks pretty." Johnny said quietly, but April caught it and smiled as she blushed, turning and kissing his cheek.

"Is there any cake Dar?" She asked, and Two-Bit passed her the plate with the cake on it. "Thanks, Two." She said, wriggling into a more comfortable position, resting her head on Johnny's shoulder as she ate chunks of cake and watched the TV.

As the sky got dark, Two-Bit and Steve sloped off to their own homes, while April and Johnny stayed for dinner with the Curtis boys. April had helped Darry cook the spaghetti Bolognese, and then Johnny had helped Ponyboy and Sodapop with the dishes afterwards.

"Are you staying here Johnny or do you wanna come back with me?" April said as she stood by the door, slipping her shoes back on.

"I'll come with you if that's alright." He said and she nodded. "We'll see you guys later." Johnny said, and the Curtis boys said their goodbyes, and the couple left, hand-in-hand.

"They're so adorable." Sodapop grinned once April and Johnny were gone. Ponyboy smirked from behind his book. Darry chuckled and shook his head.

April guided Johnny through the smoky crowd at Buck's and up the stairs to her room. She closed the door behind them and then let out a squeak as Johnny grabbed her and pushed her up against the door and kissed her. "Johnny Cade!" She gasped when he allowed her air.

"I'm sorry." He said, rubbing his nose alongside hers, "But please." He begged softly and April pressed her lips to his with a smile, pushing his denim jacket from his shoulders.

Johnny softly ran a finger down the side of April's face as they laid cuddled up in her bed. "You're so beautiful." He whispered and she looked up at him. "Do you get that? You're so beautiful and you could have any guy, but you love me."

"I do." She smiled, "I love you Johnny. Always will."

"Good." He smiled, pressing a kiss to her forehead before rolling over and reaching into his jacket pocket. "Because I want you to have this." He pulled out a simple yellow gold ring with a small round diamond in a square setting. "I couldn't afford a ring or a necklace and I'm not brave enough to jump someone and steal theirs, so I took this from my Momma's jewellery collection because she was going to pawn it anyway and I wanted you to have something so everyone knew you were my girl." Johnny rambled and April stared at him.

"Johnny." She whispered before gently grabbing his face so she could kiss him. "I love it, it's beautiful."

"Here." He took her right hand in his and slipped it onto her finger. "Perfect fit."

"I love you." April whispered.

Johnny gave her a sweet smile. "I love you. I'm never going to leave you. I promise."


End file.
